Sierra Leone has a population density of 323 people per square mile compared to 97.3 people in the United States. Sierra Leone has 89,354 sq ft of land per person vs 309,474 sq ft in the United States. Sierra Leone and the United States rank 77th and 149th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Sierra Leone has 0.11% of the world's population and 0.05% of all countries' land area, compared to 4.21% of the population and 6.14% of the land area for the United States, making the population density in Sierra Leone 232% higher than in the United States.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Sierra Leone
|
United States
|
|
| 2026 | 323 | 97.3 |
| 2025 | 317 | 96.8 |
| 2024 | 310 | 96.3 |
| 2023 | 304 | 94.8 |
| 2022 | 297 | 94.4 |
| 2021 | 290.5 | 94 |
| 2020 | 283.9 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 277.4 | 93 |
| 2018 | 271.1 | 92.5 |
| 2017 | 264.8 | 92.1 |
| 2016 | 258.5 | 91.5 |
| 2015 | 252.5 | 90.8 |
| 2014 | 246.7 | 90.1 |
| 2013 | 240.9 | 89.5 |
| 2012 | 235.1 | 88.9 |
| 2011 | 229.2 | 88.2 |
| 2010 | 223.3 | 87.6 |
| 2009 | 217.3 | 86.9 |
| 2008 | 211.5 | 86.1 |
| 2007 | 206.3 | 85.2 |
| 2006 | 201.8 | 84.3 |
| 2005 | 197.4 | 83.5 |
| 2004 | 192.2 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 185.8 | 82 |
| 2002 | 178.4 | 81.3 |
| 2001 | 168.4 | 80.6 |
| 2000 | 158.7 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 154.9 | 79 |
| 1998 | 154.1 | 78.1 |
| 1997 | 152.6 | 77.2 |
| 1996 | 150.7 | 76.3 |
| 1995 | 150 | 75.4 |
| 1994 | 149.7 | 74.5 |
| 1993 | 149.2 | 73.6 |
| 1992 | 149.5 | 72.6 |
| 1991 | 152.4 | 71.7 |
| 1990 | 150.6 | 70.7 |
| 1989 | 144.8 | 69.8 |
| 1988 | 141.2 | 69.1 |
| 1987 | 137.4 | 68.5 |
| 1986 | 133.8 | 67.9 |
| 1985 | 130.6 | 67.3 |
| 1984 | 127.7 | 66.7 |
| 1983 | 124.9 | 66.1 |
| 1982 | 122.3 | 65.5 |
| 1981 | 119.8 | 64.9 |
| 1980 | 117.4 | 64.1 |
| 1979 | 115.1 | 63.6 |
| 1978 | 112.9 | 62.9 |
| 1977 | 110.7 | 62.3 |
| 1976 | 108.7 | 61.7 |
| 1975 | 106.7 | 61.1 |
| 1974 | 104.8 | 60.5 |
| 1973 | 102.9 | 59.9 |
| 1972 | 101 | 59.4 |
| 1971 | 99.2 | 58.7 |
| 1970 | 97.3 | 58 |
| 1969 | 95.5 | 57.3 |
| 1968 | 93.7 | 56.8 |
| 1967 | 91.9 | 56.2 |
| 1966 | 90.2 | 55.6 |
| 1965 | 88.6 | 54.9 |
| 1964 | 87 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 85.5 | 53.5 |
| 1962 | 84 | 52.7 |
| 1961 | 82.7 | 51.9 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sierra-leone/united-states | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Sierra Leone increased by 60%, compared to a 15.3% growth in the United States.
In 2006, Sierra Leone ranked 95th by population density and is 77th now. The United States was 146th in 2006 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Sierra Leone
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 323 ppl/mi² | 97.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 77/197 | 149/197 |
| Population |
9049533
|
344023146
|
| Land area | 27,869 sq mi | 3,531,839 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 89,902 sq ft | 288,082 sq ft |
| Rural population | 54.6% | 19.9% |
| Urban population | 45.4% | 80.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 7.59% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 45.4% | 80.1% |
| 2023 | 44.8% | 80.1% |
| 2022 | 44.3% | 80% |
| 2021 | 43.7% | 80% |
| 2020 | 43.2% | 80% |
| 2019 | 42.7% | 80.1% |
| 2018 | 42.2% | 80.3% |
| 2017 | 41.7% | 80.4% |
| 2016 | 41.2% | 80.5% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | 80.6% |
| 2014 | 40.3% | 80.6% |
| 2013 | 39.9% | 80.7% |
| 2012 | 39.5% | 80.7% |
| 2011 | 39% | 80.7% |
| 2010 | 38.6% | 80.7% |
| 2009 | 38.2% | 80.7% |
| 2008 | 37.9% | 80.6% |
| 2007 | 37.5% | 80.5% |
| 2006 | 37.2% | 80.4% |
| 2005 | 36.8% | 80.2% |
| 2004 | 36.5% | 80% |
| 2003 | 36.3% | 79.8% |
| 2002 | 36% | 79.5% |
| 2001 | 35.8% | 79.3% |
| 2000 | 35.5% | 79.1% |
| 1999 | 35.3% | 78.8% |
| 1998 | 35.1% | 78.5% |
| 1997 | 34.9% | 78.1% |
| 1996 | 34.7% | 77.7% |
| 1995 | 34.5% | 77.2% |
| 1994 | 34.3% | 76.7% |
| 1993 | 34.1% | 76.3% |
| 1992 | 33.9% | 75.9% |
| 1991 | 33.7% | 75.5% |
| 1990 | 33.5% | 75.3% |
| 1989 | 33.2% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 33% | 74.8% |
| 1987 | 32.7% | 74.7% |
| 1986 | 32.4% | 74.5% |
| 1985 | 32.1% | 74.3% |
| 1984 | 31.8% | 74.2% |
| 1983 | 31.4% | 74% |
| 1982 | 31% | 73.9% |
| 1981 | 30.6% | 73.8% |
| 1980 | 30.2% | 73.8% |
| 1979 | 29.8% | 73.7% |
| 1978 | 29.3% | 73.7% |
| 1977 | 28.8% | 73.7% |
| 1976 | 28.3% | 73.6% |
| 1975 | 27.8% | 73.6% |
| 1974 | 27.2% | 73.6% |
| 1973 | 26.6% | 73.6% |
| 1972 | 25.9% | 73.6% |
| 1971 | 25.2% | 73.5% |
| 1970 | 24.4% | 73.5% |
| 1969 | 23.5% | 73.4% |
| 1968 | 22.7% | 73.2% |
| 1967 | 21.9% | 73% |
| 1966 | 21.1% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 20.3% | 72.3% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | 71.9% |
| 1963 | 19% | 71.4% |
| 1962 | 18.5% | 70.9% |
| 1961 | 18% | 70.4% |
| 1960 | 17.4% | 70% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sierra-leone/united-states | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 36.5% to 45.4% in Sierra Leone and from 80% to 80.1% in the United States.
Densely populated cities
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Freetown | 951K |
| Bo | 234K |
| Kenema | 188K |
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| New York | 8.8M |
| Los Angeles | 3.9M |
| Chicago | 2.75M |
| Houston | 2.3M |
| Phoenix | 1.61M |
| Philadelphia | 1.6M |
| San Antonio | 1.43M |
| San Diego | 1.39M |
| Dallas | 1.3M |
| San Jose | 1.01M |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sierra-leone/united-states | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2013–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.